As the owner of a house cleaning company in Plano, TX, I can say that giving feedback to your house cleaner is absolutely essential, even for the best cleaners and cleaning companies. Especially at the beginning of the relationship.
Worried about the language barrier? Don’t want to upset or offend someone who may not be from the same culture as you? We get it! And good job by you for wanting to do a little research to approach the situation delicately.
And while positive feedback is always great to hear, we recognize that nobody’s perfect and there are always different ways to skin a cat. And clean a house!
So here are some thoughts on how to handle cleaning feedback situations that may otherwise be a bit uncomfortable.
Step One To Provide Feedback To Your House Cleaner
Honestly, the best approach from the get go is to simply explain what you are looking for your house cleaner to do better or differently. If there is more than one cleaner, call all of the cleaning team into the area you are looking to correct and explain to them in English just as you would to any other contractor.
If it means showing them how you’d like that particular area cleaned or perhaps suggesting a different house cleaning supply, have at it. I’m not going to tell you to consider tone, word choice, body language and all of the other factors in human to human communication because you’re probably smart enough to know how to speak to people that work for you in a civil and non-demeaning way. But yeah, that stuff is kind of important if you want the message to be received at 100%.
Since this is the first instance, it’s always nice to try to be direct and understand that everyone has the same goal here: get in, do a thorough and professional job, and then leave with all parties satisfied.
But here’s the catch.
You are very likely to run into a language barrier.
Overcoming The Language Barrier When Giving Feedback To Your House Cleaner
I promise you that body language is still a huge factor, especially when you are communicating with someone in a language that they don’t speak as their first language.
So let’s get some technology going, shall we?
While all of our house cleaners carry a version of Google Translate on their phones, you may not be using Dallas Sunrise Maids yet. All good! Do yourself a favor and download this translation app if you dont have it.
Download Google Translate (Android) Here.
Download Google Translate (Apple) Here.
But you still don’t know what language they speak, and don’t assume it’s Spanish. Because while it’s 99% likely that your house cleaner’s first language is Spanish here in Texas, it’s not a guarantee. So dont assume 🙂
Here’s what I suggest: Turn on the app and put it into Detection mode. You’ll need to hit the “Conversation” button and then I suggest you say something like “OK, let’s try this. Can you say something?” And then once they respond, encourage them to keep talking so Google can translate the message.
Some advice from a (dumb gringo) who has travelled the world: When you are using a translation app like Google Translate, try to maintain eye contact with the other person. Smile. Make it as friendly as possible.
Voila. Now you are conversing. Ahh, technology!
How to Give Feedback To Your House Cleaner So That It Sticks
OK! Back to management mode here. I personally prefer a 10/80/10 approach. IE, I’ll give you the project and hold your hand for the first 10%, let you run with it for the next 80% and will step in on the last 10% to bring it home. That’s one approach.
Another way you can try to ensure that your house cleaner understands your feedback without being hovered over or spoken down to is to simply have them try to explain what you are saying back to them. Or even better, have them show you what you just explained to them.
“Would you mind showing me what I just explained to make sure you are following me?” Or even “Does that make sense? Can you try to repeat it back to me just to make sure I used the right words for you?”
Again, not trying to teach you how to talk to people. But for Latinos, especially Latinos in our industry, respect is a pretty big deal. So the nicer you are, the more likely your feedback is to result in the changes you are looking for.
Steps To Take If The Feedback For Your House Cleaner Doesn’t Stick
So, what happens if you’ve explained your feedback clearly, used all the tools, and the results still aren’t improving?
First, consider this: Did the cleaner truly understand your expectations? It might be worth going through the feedback again, perhaps with some extra clarity or even a visual demonstration. People learn differently, and sometimes seeing something done is way easier than hearing about it.
If you’ve already done this and nothing has changed, its probably time to escalate.
If you’re working with a local house cleaning company (like us), call the office and ask to speak to a manager. They’ll be able to relay your concerns in a way that aligns with the company’s training and expectations. Plus, they may already have experience solving similar situations.
Sometimes the fit just isn’t right, and it’s time to move on. No hard feelings. Your home, your rules. Plus it’s important to have a cleaning team that brings their “A” game so you’re not having to repeat yourself or give the same feedback after every visit.
At the end of the day, communication is key, but so is finding the right partnership. And when you find it? Autopilot! The best way to clean!
We are great communicators here at Dallas Sunrise Maids! That means we listen to you until we get things right. And while not all of our cleaning teams speak perfect English, they all carry Google Translate and more importantly, we are all bilingual here at the office. And we’ve got your back on all things feedback!